Bumblebee's Time to Shine

Boom!

"Ah, you damn little bug, get over here!"

Although Shockwave wore Level 5 armor, a Transformer's head was always the weakest part of its body. Who would have thought Bumblebee's aim was so accurate? He had actually targeted Shockwave's right eye. If this battle-hardened Decepticon warrior hadn't turned his head at the last moment, he might really have become one-eyed!

It was clear just how furious Shockwave was right now. His heart was also filled with shock, because this little guy before him was clearly no ordinary civilian Autobot, but someone with considerable combat experience.

It seemed Shockwave had underestimated Bumblebee because of his tiny build. Sometimes, appearance could be a very effective disguise!

"Decepticon, you have made an unforgivable mistake. You should never have attacked us Autobot civilians. Now let me, Bumblebee, teach you a proper lesson!"

Facing the menacing Shockwave, Bumblebee was not the least bit afraid. Instead, he swiftly dashed to the guy's left side and fired another shot at his left ankle.

Boom!

Although Bumblebee's attack likewise failed to cause any actual damage, the tremendous thrust generated by the laser cannon made Shockwave lose his footing. He staggered and fell flat on his face, his huge, ferocious robotic head landing directly in a crater he had blasted out earlier, leaving him covered in dirt!

"Bumblebee, I'm going to tear you to pieces! I'll rip off your car doors and use them as skateboards! I, Shockwave, I—ow!"

Shockwave had originally thought himself to be a fairly agile Transformer, but before Bumblebee, he was practically like a newborn baby. The other guy was toying with him.

This unlucky fellow had only just climbed out of the crater when an unidentified sheet of metal struck him squarely on the head. With one careless stumble, his entire face plunged back into the crater. Though this damage was neither painful nor serious, it dealt a tremendous blow to his self-respect!

"You really are tough! If we were at the same level, you shouldn't even be able to get back up by now!"

Bumblebee was actually quite frustrated as well. The attack points and timing he had chosen had been extremely precise. Ordinarily, if a Decepticon of the same level had suffered such attacks, even if it wasn't immediately destroyed, it would at least have sustained minor injuries. Yet Shockwave stood there as if nothing had happened. It was downright unfair!

"You damned little bee, I'm going to swallow you whole! Shockwave, transform!"

After getting beaten several times by Bumblebee without any ability to retaliate, Shockwave finally flew into a rage. He immediately transformed into that giant earthworm from before. Shockwave's transformed form could not only burrow through the ground, but also swallow enemies whole and quickly digest them into part of himself. Clearly, he intended to destroy this annoying Autobot Bumblebee and turn his body into nourishment for Shockwave's own body. Only then could he vent his anger!

Unfortunately, even after transforming, Shockwave's speed had only tripled, and he still could not keep up with Bumblebee's pace. Moreover, while the two were locked in battle, neither noticed that Fortress Maximus, who had originally been unable to move, slowly raised his right hand. Like a gigantic pair of pliers, it clamped precisely around the giant earthworm's tail and lifted the transformed Shockwave from the ground like a little fish.

"Decepticon, you must answer for everything you have done. Today, I, Fortress Maximus, will punish you properly!"

Although Fortress Maximus had only the tiniest bit of energy remaining, the sight of Shockwave ignited another hope in his heart. He actually opened his enormous mechanical mouth and swallowed the Shockwave clutched in his hand whole.

Logically speaking, Fortress Maximus was not a beast-type Transformer and had no need to gain power by devouring other Transformers. But now that he was at the end of his strength, there was no room to worry about such things, was there? Shockwave was one of the more outstanding Decepticon warriors. If Fortress Maximus could absorb this guy's energy, perhaps he could hold on for a while longer!

"No, no! You... you Autobots can do this too? What... what are these things? Let go, let go of me!"

They were thick, massive cables extending slowly from Fortress Maximus's core device. They connected to Shockwave's head, chest, and even his fuel lines. In short, every part of him related to energy was entangled by the cables Fortress Maximus had released. Then, streak after streak of pink light was drawn from Shockwave's body and gradually replenished Fortress Maximus's.

This was energy plunder by the strong against the weak. It was not something only beast-type Transformers could do; high-level Transformers like Fortress Maximus possessed the same ability. It was simply that, for Autobots, such a method was a deviant and improper path, one that was absolutely forbidden.

"Shockwave, when you attacked our civilians earlier, weren't you demonstrating the principle that the weak are prey to the strong? Now it is your turn. Don't you think that is perfectly fair?"

At the final moment before his life reached its end, Fortress Maximus no longer cared whether others would look down on him for this. At the very least, after obtaining Shockwave's energy, Fortress Maximus could launch all the missiles and laser cannons stored within his body at once. That would give Megatron's ground forces a taste of their own medicine.

However, it was not yet time for Fortress Maximus to attack. First, he needed to provoke Megatron and make him unconsciously gather all his forces together. Only then could Fortress Maximus's final strike achieve its greatest destructive effect.

And the captured Shockwave seemed capable of becoming an excellent fuse. Fortress Maximus had made a great show of capturing him, as though he were afraid the Decepticons on the other side might fail to notice.

Sure enough, when Megatron saw his subordinate swallowed whole by Fortress Maximus, he immediately leaped up in fury!